At Last
by goldenberryhudson
Summary: He immediately found something interesting about her. Not her physical appearance, not her personality. It was this gut feeling deep down where he'd never really felt something so real before.
1. The Beginning

**"I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you."**

**-Taylor Swift**

* * *

They met on a cloudy Friday.

Not just any Friday, but Valentine's day.

And neither of them had valentines.

Finn Hudson watched from behind the bar as the snow floated to the ground, sticking to the road and sidewalk outside the restaurant. In the 5 years he'd owned Huddy's, he'd never seen a blizzard this bad. The place was doing a damn good business tonight, though, so he had nothing to complain about. It seemed as though most of them would probably spend the night here, which was fine with him- he was used to working 24 hour shifts in busy hours. Finn texted his best friend and co-owner Puck, telling him to come immediately.

**Puck! Man, you better get your ass down here. The booths and tables are packed, and most of the staff can't get here.**

The bell above the door rang, signaling yet another person seeking shelter. Something about her, and he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, caught his attention. She sashayed straight to the other end of the bar, calling someone on her cell phone. He looked away from her and yelled, "Hey everyone! If you can't get home tonight, feel free to stay here. Drinks are half price." Several people cheered drunkenly, then turning their attention back to the basketball game on one of the televisions. Finn walked over to where the mysterious girl was sitting.

"Can I get you something?" he asked leaning onto the bar with his elbows.

"What do you have that's good?" she asked, tapping her fingers.

"Whatever you want. Typically, I'd ask if you wanted the usual, but you're not a regular. Never seen you in here before." he explained.

"You're right, but I'm sure you'll see a lot more of me. I just moved here from Ohio. I did go to college here, at NYADA." she told him.

"Why'd you go back to Ohio?" he asked, grabbing a glass and filling it halfway with ice.

"My grandmother got really ill. None of us expected Gran to make it, but as always, she pulled through." The girl flashed a bright grin.

Finn handed her the glass, now filled with Jack Daniels.

"How'd you know this was my usual?" she asked, surprised.

He grabbed a stool from the back and sat down. "It's a gift. I could tell you wouldn't take just a fruity drink. Your personality tells me you're pretty tough, take no prisoners. You know what you want. You're like a Jack Daniels- you come off in a kind of intense, 'fruity' way. But then, when you get a taste of who you really are, it's this different feeling. It's like you have one very prominent quality among the others. And when you're done it burns, yet you still linger for more. It comes with the territory."

"So you're saying that to the naked eye I look like your average twentysomething, but that once you delve deeper into me, you see something in me. And when I withdraw a little bit it hurts, but you need to know more?" he correctly translated.

"Loosely, yes. You seem pretty cool. I didn't catch your name, though." Finn said, holding out his hand.

"Rachel, Rachel Berry." She took his warm hand, and as she shook it, she felt a new feeling. Different from anything she'd ever felt.

"Finn Hudson," he countered, "I own Huddy's."

She gasped in surprise. "I had no idea I was talking to the owner!" Rachel giggled.

He opened his mouth to speak when the whole place went pitch black. Suddenly the room lit up with cell phone light.

"Hold on, everyone!" he yelled. "I got some flashlights and candles in the back. Luckily, I can hear the heat still running so we should be good."

He waved his phone around until he found Rachel. "I've got to get the stuff. Can you hold the fort down?" he asked.

"Sure." She stood up on the bar and began to speak. This was her chance to make her first big city impression.

"If you could all please direct your cell phone lights to the bar," she said loudly, "I'll be your entertainment this evening. Finn's gone to get some supplies from the back, so until then...does anyone have any song requests?"

* * *

He came back 10 minutes later to an angelic voice singing and the rest of the restaurant joining in.

_"Only know that you've been high when you're feeling low_

_Only hate the road when you're missin' home_

_Only know you love her when you let her go_

_And you let her go,"_

"Finn's back!" Rachel said. The whole joint cheered. "Let's show him what we've got!" They cheered once again as she spoke. "Let's take it back to the 1960's, any Etta James fans in here tonight?" They all kept hooting and hollering. "If you've got a valentine, grab them and hold 'em close," she said, "and if you don't, just enjoy the music and sing along."

_"At last_

_My love has come along_

_My lonely days are over_

_And life is like a song._

_Oh, yeah, yeah, _

_At last."_

He was mesmerized by the glow she gave off while singing, even in the dark. It was beautiful, and her voice was stunning and perfect. He began to walk around from table to table, lighting candles. The whole restaurant soon was lit up in a romantic kind of way. He met her gaze and locked his eyes there as she finished.

_"You smiled, you smiled,_

_Oh, and then the spell was cast_

_And here we are in heaven_

_For you are mine..._

_at last."_

"Give it up for Rachel Berry, everyone!" he said as the makeshift audience erupted in applause. Everyone immediately turned their attention to the door, as Puck now walked in. "This is Puck," he introduced, "and he runs this place with me, so if you need anything, let either one of us know. For now, let's turn things back to Rachel."

Puck grabbed Finn's arm and pulled him behind the bar.

"Who's she?" he whispered as he heard the girl begin to sing. "Got a good voice."

"Rachel Berry. She came in earlier, just moved back here. Once the power went out I had to get some supplies, so I told her to entertain them a little."

"Did you talk to her?" Puck asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'd never seen her in here before, and I know everyone, so naturally she caught my attention." Finn explained.

"Are you sure that's the only thing that caught your attention? Look at her-" Puck was interrupted by Finn.

"Puck, you're married, remember? Shut up about other girls before I tell your wife what you say. Quinn's speed dial 5."

"You wouldn't. That's cold, bro." Finn just walked away smirking. This was the usual poking fun conversation he had with this man, who'd been like his brother since preschool.

* * *

"Okay, you use the basic cup song pattern, got it?" Rachel asked a group of teenage girls. They all nodded as she moved on to the next table.

"You can beatbox, right?" she asked the men. They nodded as well. "Do you guys know 'Give Me Everything'?" Once again, they nodded yes.

"Alright, everyone. My friends here are gonna help us out, so if you can chime in that'd be awesome."

"I can rap it!" one guy yelled.

"Come on up!" Rachel said.

The cups and beatboxers started playing and the man began to rap, which sounded pretty cool. As Rachel's turn to sing neared, she got everyone up and dancing. She noticed Finn coming over her way, so she met him halfway and grabbed his hand. They started to dance as she sang.

_"Grab somebody sexy, tell 'em hey,_

_Give me everything tonight_

_Give me everything tonight_

_Give me everything tonight_

_Give me everything tonight."_

She laughed at his crazy dance moves and continued her song.

_"Excuse me, but I might drink a little more than I should tonight_

_And I might take you home with me if I could tonight_

_And baby I'ma make you feel so good tonight_

_'Cause we might not get tomorrow."_

The song ended and they just stood there, taking each other in. Feeling like neither of them had ever before.

* * *

**I deleted my other stories so I could begin anew.**

**I'm going to try to update as much as time allows, which may not be a lot. But I'll make a valiant effort.**

**So that was Chapter 1, Part 1.**

**Hope you enjoyed. I never pre-write my stories, just go with my gut. I intended to finish this chapter but then it'd be way too long.**

**So I'll split it into two.**

**xoxo**


	2. The Past Comes Back To Haunt You

**"I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self respect. And it's these things I'd believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn't all she should be. I love her and it is the beginning of everything."**

**-F. Scott Fitzgerald**

* * *

The power came back on after the bar's rendition of "Counting Stars".

It was 4 in the morning, yet everyone's spirit was still quite lively. Around 6, people starting going home and Huddy's got ready to open for breakfast hours. Rachel stuck around, though, making conversation with Finn and the staff. She even helped out in the kitchen, frying eggs and toasting bagels and bread.

"You've been such a big help, Rachel," Finn continued to thank her, "you should come to open mic night sometime. Show them how it's really done."

Rachel giggled as she flipped the egg patty over. "It's no problem. You're a pretty cool guy, Finn. I'd like to get to know you better. And as for open mic night, you're going to have to sing with me."

"I'd like to know you better, too," he agreed, "and we'll have to see about the singing."

"Well, this egg's done. I've really enjoyed this, but I have to finish all of my paperwork for my lease and finish unpacking. My dads are paying a third of it, I just have to scrounge up the other two-thirds." She began to walk out when Finn stopped her.

"Wait! What if you worked here?" he asked, grinning.

Rachel thought for a second and nodded. "I'd like that, Hudson," she smiled, "let me write down my number so you can give me all of the information." She grabbed a Sharpie from the jar on the counter and a sticky note, scribbling her number in a curly script. "Here you go," Rachel said, "I've gotta run."

He really just wanted to text her so that they could talk.

Rachel Berry was an enigma he wanted to decode.

* * *

As she folded her clothes and stacked them neatly in her dresser drawers, Rachel checked her phone every minute for a text from Finn, or so it seemed. She turned on the television; thank goodness the cable provider had shown up earlier and connected everything. Rachel loosely followed the banter of the Kardashians and continued to fold, sorting by color. _Red goes here, blue to the left, pink in the middle. _Another drawer finished. When her phone finally alerted her of a new text message, she practically jumped to it.

**Rach, it's Santana. I got a new number, so delete my old one. **

Her eyes narrowed in curiosity, then sending a text back to one of her best friends.

**Why'd you get a new one? Nothing was wrong with the old number.**

She edited Santana's contact, and the ringtone began to play.

_**"I'm Fergalicious/ But I ain't promiscuous/ And if you were suspicious/ All that shit is fictitious."**_

**Some perv I met at the bar when I was drunk kept trying to text me. You don't know how many times I called him and said,**

**"Listen, asshole. I play for a different team, so you best be leaving me alone."**

Rachel laughed at Santana's text, typing back.

**I know, I know. You "keeps it real".**

She watched the television as Kourtney picked up baby Mason. _Fergalicious _echoed once again.

**Damn straight. Brittany and I are going to go out shopping for the day. Love ya, Berry.**

Rachel once again, was alone. That is, until 15 minutes later, when the default ringtone played. She was horrified at the message on her screen.

**You can't get rid of me that easy, Rachie. I'm closer than you think. ;)**

* * *

He finally grew a pair around noon and decided to text her.

**Hey, Rach. It's Finn. :)**

The message she sent back was unexpected.

**Finn, I know I barely know you, but can you please come to my place? I'm a little shaken up by something and really need someone to talk to.**

Finn immediately filled with concern.

**What's your address? Headed to the car now.**

He told Puck he'd be out on an errand and then programmed the address she sent him into the GPS. When he got to the apartment building he was surprised at how lavish it was. Finn headed to 10C, where Rachel lived. He knocked on the door, which was answered by a cowering Rachel, her tears and mascara running down her face and her hair in a messy bun. By instinct, he took her in his arms and sat her down on the couch.

"What's wrong, Rachel?" he said, looking straight into her scared eyes.

"B-back home," she stuttered, "I had thi-this boyfriend."

"And?" Finn asked, wanting to cry at the sight of her in pain.

"H-he," Rachel stuggled to spit the words out, "he used to...hit me."

Finn's eyes widened. "Rachel, is that why you moved here? To get away from him?"

She nodded her head, tearing up again. "But today, I got this text, and..."

Rachel pulled out her phone and showed him the message.

"You think he's watching you?" Finn correctly assumed.

She nodded again.

"This is illegal, isn't it? Can't we have him- what's the word? Oh, I think it's executed! You know, like a restraining order?" he asked.

Rachel laughed through the crying. "You mean prosecuted, Finn?"

"Yeah, that. I've never had a strong vocab. I'm kind of limited to the word-a-day calendar my brother got me for my birthday sophomore year and what I learned from my mom, who's an expert at Scrabble." he explained.

"You know how to cheer people up a little, Finn," she smiled, "but I don't think we can. There's no proof he's following me. I just don't feel safe, you know? New part of the city, alone in my apartment." They both stayed silent until she spoke again.

"I've never, ever said this before," she started, "but I'm scared, Finn."

Suddenly a lightbulb appeared over his head.

"Why don't you come stay with me and my roommates for awhile?" he suggested.

"I can't, I wouldn't want to impose." she said.

"Don't worry, you won't be imploding," he brushed it off.

"Impose, not implode." she laughed again.

"Oh, impose. Right."

"You know what? Let's do it."

* * *

**Who is this abusive ex, you ask?**

**Wait and see.**

**Patience is a virtue ;)**

**Read. Review. Favorite. Follow.**

**xoxo**


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